THE NATURE OF SALVATION | FORGIVENESS

1. The nature of Salvation

a) God has given us salvation at very great cost to Himself. By repentance and faith man can accept this salvation. Just what happens then? What is this salvation which he receives? Four words show some of the wonderful things that become ours when we receive God's salvation: Forgiveness, Justification, Reconciliation, and The New Birth.

2. What is Forgiveness?

a) Our sins are forgiven! Some people say they have no sin. Others say their sins are not as bad as someone else's. Surely it is far better to confess my sins to God and receive His forgiveness.

b) The word ''forgive" is found many times in the Old and New Testaments.

c) "Forgive us our debts", Matthew 6:12.

d) Sin is a debt against God. We owe to God our life, love and obedience, Because we did not give these to God, we became like the man in Matthew 18:24. This man owed the king ten thousand talents, but had nothing with which to pay his debt. In the parable the king felt sorry for the man and forgave him the whole debt. The man did not have to pay anything at all.

e) But God as Judge does not and cannot forgive sins that way. He can and does forgive only because the debt has been paid. The Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, paid it all. Now God not only forgives our sins; He also forgets them. God is able to know all things that are going to happen and to forget what has already happened in the past.

i) "Their sins will I remember no more", Hebrews 8:12.

ii) The forgiven sinner is filled with joy, Matthew 9:2.

iii) "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven", Romans 4:7.

f) God as a Father forgives His children for a different reason. It would not be love to let me go on in sin. If I fall into sin I lose my joy. My father will forgive me if I confess my sin.

i) "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness", 1 John 1:9.

g) Because I have believed in Christ, I am now a child of God, a member of His family. If another Christian, my brother in Christ, sins against me, I forgive him because my own sins have been forgiven, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13. I do not wait until he pays me for it. If I want to enjoy the Father's forgiveness I must forgive my brethren, Matthew 6:14-15; 18:35. 

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